Oil-elevator.



E. H. HAWLEY.

OIL ELEVATOR.

APPLICATION rILnn MAY 10, 1911.

Patented Oct. 31, 1911.

EDWIN H. HAWLEY, OF WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

OIL-ELEVATOR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed May 10, 1911.

Patented Oct. 31, 1911.

Serial No. 626,290.

This invention relates to systems of rais ing oil from non-flowing oil wells, and its object is to provide an improved device for this purpose which is simple to build, easy to operate and efficient in operation. In this system, all costly apparatus, such as pumps, derricks, cables and the like can be dispensed with, all that is necessary being a prime mover of some kind, such as a water wheel, steam engine, gas engine or electric motor, and a hoisting shaft driven by said prime mover, for the purpose of actuating an endless belt depending into the oil in the well tube and adapted to absorb said oil and bring it to the surface when said belt is operated.

My invention relates more especially to the construction of the endless belt, which I make of a series of connected links formed from closed loops of metallic wire, doubled into U shape and interlinked. The resulting structure is a kind of flexible ladder of considerable length with its ends connected to form an endless belt; the rungs, so to speak, of said ladder-like structure being readily engaged by transverse grooves in the face of a driving sprocket wheel. Attached to said rungs is a mass of fibrous absorbent material, preferably mop yarn, which is conveniently secured by clamping it between the two parts of which each rung is composed, as hereinafter morefully explained.

In the accompanying drawing, Figure 1 is a side elevation, showing in a diagrammatic way an oil elevating device of the character referred to above, and embodying my improvements. Fig. 2 is a cross section of the well tube on a somewhat larger scale, showing how the links of the endless belt or chain turn therein at the lowest point of the belt. Fig. 3 is a front elevation of the driving wheel, chain, and one of the pairs of guides for the same. Fig. 4c shows a fragment of one of said guides. Fig. 5 is a plan view on a larger scale of a loop before it is doubled to form a link. Fig. 6 is an edge view of a completed link. Fig. 7 is a view of a portion of the chain or belt,

and Fig. 8 is a section of the rung on a larger scale.

The oil wells to which this system is applicable are those in which the oil does not flow from the tubing or lining of the well, but stands at a greater .or less distance below the surface of the ground, so that it must be raised by power.

In Fig. 1, the upper end of the well lining is shown at 1. The driving or sprocket wheel 2 is located at one side of the well and above the same. No prime mover for actuating this, wheel is shown in the drawing, as it will readily be understood that some means for rotating said wheel is necessary, but that the particular form of motor is immaterial. The face of the wheel is cylindrical and is provided with a number of equally spaced transverse grooves 3 to engage with and drive the chain. Fig. 5 shows the preferred form of loop or blank from which the links of the chain are made. It is a closed loop, substantially rectangular in shape, and made of half round wire or rod. The sides of this loop have straight parallel middle portions 4;, and diverging end portions 5, connected by parallel straight end portions 6. The loop is doubled into a U- shaped link, the fiat sides being laid together, so that the two end portions 6 will form a cylindrical rung, as shown in Fig. 8, which is partly in section. The middle portions 4 are shaped into eyes 7, adapted to engage with the rung portion of the next link, as shown in Fig. 7. To maintain these eyes at the proper places, C.-shaped clips or washers 8 are slipped over the rungs adjacent to said eyes and clamped thereon, when the links are assembled. The distance between the eyes on each rung is slightly greater than the width of the face of the driving wheel, so that the side portions of the links can overlap the sides of the wheel as the chain passes around it, as shown in Fig. 1. 1

A mass of fibrous absorbent material 9 is placed between the halves of each rung where it is securely clamped when the clips 8 are put on. This material is preferably mop yarn or the like, and hangs down in parallel strands, each length of it overlapping two or three adjacent rungs, so that the chain is thickly armed with the absorbent mass.

Immediately above the well tubing are two pairs of guides consisting preferably of angle irons 10 spaced apart sufiiciently to permit the side portions of the chain to slide along them, and leaving an unobstructed way between them for the lengths of mop yarn. The guides have short upright portions merging into curved portions which extend toward the driving sprocket, the ends of said guides being in planes tangent to the lower and upper sides of said Wheel. To prevent the chain and the yarn from catching on the ends of the guides, they may be slightly bent backward, as in dicated at 11.

I provide means for expressing the oil from the yarn, preferably a presser wheel 12 located under the sprocket, and urged against said sprocket in any suitable manner; preferably by being mounted at one end of a lever 13 carrying on its other end an adjustable counterweight 14.

Below the sprocket and presser wheel, and extending to the well tubing is a trough 15 adapted to catch the oil which drips from the mop yarn in its passage along the lower guide to the sprocket. The trough also catches the oil expressed by the presser wheel as the oil-laden yarn passes between said wheel and the face of the sprocket. A spout 16 provides for drawing off the oil from the trough; or it may be led off in any desired manner to some other point for stor age or shipment. Guards 17 may be erected on the sides of the trough to prevent scattering of the oil.

It should be observed that the length and width of the links in the chain are limited by the size of the well tubing, because at the lowest point of the chain, where the links reverse their positions, they must be able to hang horizontally in said tubing. This con dition is shown in Fig. 2, and it is found that in a nine inch tube the link should be not over six inches wide, at most.

Having thus explained my invention, what I claim is 1. In an oil-elevating system, the combination with a driving wheel, of an endless chain composed of U-shaped wire links, and

a mass of absorbent material secured to each link.

2. In an oil-elevating system, the combination with a driving wheel, of an endless chain composed of links of doubled wire, and a mass of absorbent material clamped between the parts of said links.

3. In an oil-elevating system, the combination with a chain composed of links, each consisting of a doubled loop of half round wire, forming a U-shaped link having eyes at its ends, and a mass of fibrous absorbent material clamped between the adjacent end portions of said loop.

l. In an oil-elevating system, a chain composed of links, each consisting of a closed loop of half round wire doubled into U shape with its end portions adjacent and its middle portions forming eyes receiving the next link, a mass of fibrous material placed between the adjacent end portions, and clips clamped upon the outer ends of said portions to hold them together and clamp said fibrous material.

5. In an oil-elevating system, a chain composed of wire links, and lengths of fibrous absorbent material secured to each link and overlapping adjacent links.

6. In an oil-elevating system, the combination with a chain carrying lengths of absorbent material, of guides for said chain having an open space for the passage of said material, and means for pressing said material to express the oil therefrom.

7. The combination with. an oil well, of an endless chain therein, lengths of absorbent material secured to said chain, a driving wheel at one side of and above said well, guides for said chain, means for expressing the oil from said material, and a trough to catch said oil.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

EDWIN H. HAWLEY.

lVitnesses TrroMAs DURANT, GEO. P. l/VHITTLESEY.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, 

